Premium
Determinants of Social Expenditure in S ri L anka
Author(s) -
Sudasinghe S. R. Sepalika N.,
Patmasiriwat Direk
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
asian social work and policy review
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.286
H-Index - 13
eISSN - 1753-1411
pISSN - 1753-1403
DOI - 10.1111/aswp.12027
Subject(s) - economics , welfare , social policy , social welfare , public economics , welfare economics , demographic economics , microeconomics , political science , market economy , law
The study examines the determinants of social expenditure in S ri L anka for the period 1970–2010. The data are from a new data set assembled by the authors. The social spending data are collected from the C entral B ank of S ri L anka on education, health, and also on welfare spending. The study explains the determinants of social spending considering the demand‐side and the supply‐side driving forces and finds that inequality issues have been a major concern of social policy in S ri L anka. Similarly, this study implies the influence of political behavior to satisfy voters as explained by the fiscal illusion theory. The globalization is not significant for social expenditure as commonly assumed in developed countries. Even the consequences of the self‐interested behavior of bureaucrats are not evident in the S ri L ankan welfare sector.